Melanie Zhou A graduate of ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo. and a 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education Award recipient, is currently studying biological engineering at Stanford University. By Lina Zhu
First Generation Immigrant
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Before Melanie was born, her parents and sister immigrated how to balance her two identities: Chinese and American. from China to Singapore to the U.S.; she was the first person in She attended school Mondays through Fridays with her Enher family born in the U.S. She attributes her success largely to glish-speaking teachers and classmates, and then participatthe sacrifices made by her parents to ed in Chinese language school on ensure she could receive the best edBeing at the intersection of two Sundays. However, living with two ucation and opportunities in the U.S. and racial identities can cultures means the opportunity cultural “My family’s history is a strong be “hard emotionally and socially,” to learn twice as much; to motivator in my desire to succeed,” Melanie said. she said, “I hope to make my family “Being at the intersection of two contribute twice as much; to proud.” cultures means the opportunity to love twice as much. For many young Asian Americans, learn twice as much; to contribute exploring and finding their own identities is a common dis- twice as much; to love twice as much. I am very proud of my covery while growing up. From a young age, Melanie learned identity and how being Asian American is a big part of it.”
The Oasis Project Melanie started The Oasis Project after a classmate committed suicide in Spring 2018. The project aims to destigmatize the mental health conversation in high schools and beyond because mental health is overlooked and disregarded in society. “Especially in Asian culture, mental health is not a popular topic of conversation,” Melanie said. She and her team build physical mental health “oasis” rooms in high schools that provide counseling support and innovative coping techniques. The nonprofit organization has delivered treatment to more than 3,000 students. They have piloted a physical “oasis” room at ThunderRidge High School and will be expanding to
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three new locations in this upcoming school year. When Melanie and her co-founder Mia Hayden first started the project, one of the challenges was to gain credibility as high school students. “Many adults would dismiss us because of our youth,” she said. However, Melanie and her team pivoted and used their youth as an advantage. They created a self-sustaining merchandise revenue model based on Gen-Z buying habits and participated in many entrepreneurship pitches. After successfully pitching for $10,000 from the Fight Back Foundation and $100,000 from Denver Startup Week, the organization really took off!
